essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.
conflict is essential in drama
fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse.
fundamental principles of algebra
vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation.
cut off from vital supplies
cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends.
a cardinal rule in buying a home
Example Sentences
These matters are vital to national defense. The sciences are a vital part of the school curriculum. your heart, lungs, and other vital organs Exercise keeps her young and vital.
Recent Examples on the WebIndia has vigorously defended those purchases as vital for a nation dependent on energy imports. Tripti Lahiri, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2022 For many diabetics, CGMs are a vital, lifesaving device.AZCentral.com, 14 Sep. 2022 After capturing the town of Balakliia, about 55 kilometers (about 34 miles) southeast of Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces quickly pressed their offensive farther east to Kupiansk, a rail hub vital for sustaining Russian operations in the region.BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2022 Sleep is something that’s obviously vital to well-being, and studies have shown women increasingly aren’t getting enough. Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2022 Struggles for Black dignity that reached a low point in Tulsa's aftermath, took on new and vital dimensions after the Second World War. Peniel E. Joseph, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 All of the changes, O'Neil and others said, will help current and future generations of local residents have a safe, vital and inviting space to turn to in Russell. Billy Kobin, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2022 These acts loom over the family’s life like a legend, with quasi-scriptural authority, and the actors’ concentrated fury and vulnerability lends D’Ambrose’s reserved manner a vital, sometimes terrifying dramatic intensity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 And maybe that’s vital for the future of this organization. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin vitalis of life, from vita life; akin to Latin vivere to live — more at quick entry 1